Senior journalist and staffer of Business Recorder Jalil Hassan Akhtar Raja died of cardiac arrest on Friday night. He was 65. He has left behind wife, two sons. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Dr. Hasan Askari has expressed grief and sorrow over his death.
Jalil was former president of the Punjab Union of Journalists and life member of Lahore Press Club. He was also associated with South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA). He had written a book on Pak-China relations and got the opportunity of presenting it to Chou En-lai. He was also a poet and old Ravian.
Jalil did his Masters in Statistics and LL.B. from the University of Punjab. Besides doing practice as a lawyer, Jalil had also served at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry for a while before joining the profession of journalism. He was a trade union activist and remained active for protection of the rights of journalist community throughout his life. Before joining Business Recorder, Jalil remained associated with daily The Muslim.
His father Raja Hassan Akhtar was Member National Assembly and former president of the West Pakistan Muslim League and was awarded with a gold medal for his contribution to the Pakistan Movement. His brother Major Masood Akhtar Kiyani was among the martyrs of the 1965 war. His funeral prayers will be offered at House No.706, Block-C, Street No.8, Phase-I, NFC Society near Wapda Town at 5:15 PM on Sunday (today).